Climbed here on the weekend. Some things I noticed or worth commenting on...

1) Pages 120-121 show BHP as having two rap stations. The BHP only photo on page 128 has three. I noticed two today.

2) Why are there rap stations here? No other climbs in the whole Cathedral Range has a lower off aside from the one above Spiral Architect which has no other option and that 18 on Nth Jawbones that Dalai (?) put up which is useless anyway unless you rap off a burnt tree half way down. There are multiple rap stations in very close proximity. They are completely unnecessary. I walked off every route, apart from Bald Eagle (more on that later!) Should we be suss that there person who placed these eye sores also guides in the area? If an area needs a rap station, use one. If a climb needs a lower off, sportz stylez, put it at the end of the difficulties, not at the very top of the cliff past loose junk. Yes, it makes for a longer climb in the guide, but it doesn't reflect the true nature of the routes. Erosion is a moot point. It is a loose walk off, but so is everything around there. It is what adventurous climbing is about. Be gone chains...

3) Bald Eagle and Bald Eagle Direct's descriptions do not match the lines on the topo. Clearly the direct goes straight up and the other not. I climbed direct today and it barley rates as a 20, perhaps 19? Not 22, not ** either... Take some gear, I placed two cams on the crack between the 1st and 2nd bolts, you will deck big time otherwise. I would have backed off it had I no gear, and I was quite happy at Ben Nevis last weekend...

4) The Spirit Molecule has two fixed hangers, not three.

5) Why is there rubbish at the bottom of the crag? Someone ate some pita bread and stashed the packet. I saw Tracey and Cam there two weeks ago, and I'd give my left testicle if it was one of them, but not many others would have been out there, be ashamed whoever you are!

6) "So you think I am gay" is quite a tricky lead for a 14. The gear is a fiddly in spots, quite small and on flaring shallow cracks for a part. Good climb though, pinch the stars off the other routes and give it two for a more accurate comparison.

All in all...meh. If you are up there, Pulp Friction is great. Lot's of small gear, nice edges, wonderful sustained slabbing. This route is up there with the best slabs at the 'drals. Made me grin more the Xanthene and Whiteline Fever.

On 20/03/2011 Fish Boy wrote:>2) Why are there rap stations here? No other climbs in the whole Cathedral>Range has a lower off aside from the one above Spiral Architect which has>no other option and that 18 on Nth Jawbones that Dalai (?) put up which>is useless anyway unless you rap off a burnt tree half way down.

Not me Fish Boy. I put up an 18 slab pitch left of Speigals overhang with a couple of carrots finishing at the right belay of Traverse of the gods...

I did add a chain to Canard a la Orange at Neds and my 25 lower roof at the Sunset Strip though.

On 20/03/2011 Fish Boy wrote:>Climbed here on the weekend. Some things I noticed or worth commenting>on...>>1) Pages 120-121 show BHP as having two rap stations. The BHP only photo>on page 128 has three. I noticed two today.>>2) Why are there rap stations here? No other climbs in the whole Cathedral>Range has a lower off aside from the one above Spiral Architect which has>no other option and that 18 on Nth Jawbones that Dalai (?) put up which>is useless anyway unless you rap off a burnt tree half way down. There>are multiple rap stations in very close proximity. They are completely>unnecessary. I walked off every route, apart from Bald Eagle (more on that>later!) Should we be suss that there person who placed these eye sores>also guides in the area? If an area needs a rap station, use one. If a>climb needs a lower off, sportz stylez, put it at the end of the difficulties,>not at the very top of the cliff past loose junk. Yes, it makes for a longer>climb in the guide, but it doesn't reflect the true nature of the routes.>Erosion is a moot point. It is a loose walk off, but so is everything around>there. It is what adventurous climbing is about. Be gone chains...>>3) Bald Eagle and Bald Eagle Direct's descriptions do not match the lines>on the topo. Clearly the direct goes straight up and the other not. I climbed>direct today and it barley rates as a 20, perhaps 19? Not 22, not ** either...>Take some gear, I placed two cams on the crack between the 1st and 2nd>bolts, you will deck big time otherwise. I would have backed off it had>I no gear, and I was quite happy at Ben Nevis last weekend...>>4) The Spirit Molecule has two fixed hangers, not three.>>5) Why is there rubbish at the bottom of the crag? Someone ate some pita>bread and stashed the packet. I saw Tracey and Cam there two weeks ago,>and I'd give my left testicle if it was one of them, but not many others>would have been out there, be ashamed whoever you are!>>6) "So you think I am gay" is quite a tricky lead for a 14. The gear is>a fiddly in spots, quite small and on flaring shallow cracks for a part.>Good climb though, pinch the stars off the other routes and give it two>for a more accurate comparison. >>All in all...meh. If you are up there, Pulp Friction is great. Lot's of>small gear, nice edges, wonderful sustained slabbing. This route is up>there with the best slabs at the 'drals. Made me grin more the Xanthene>and Whiteline Fever.>>Nick

Hi Nick,

Your left testicle is safe thank god! I would hate to be responsible for the loss of that.
Except for a date scone up the top I was saving myself for a burger at the Igloo later that day. I will run it by the other people I was there with but pretty much the same with them and none of us ate at the bottom anyway.
Most of us though that 14 was pretty tricky also. Still a 14 but you would need to be confident at the grade.
Pulp Friction is great! I hadn't climbed at South Jawbones before my visit last year and was really impressed with the rock quality and steepness. While we're talking about South Jawbones - how are the prickle bushes at the base there. They were bouncing back when we visited after the fires and I warned everyone when we went to BHP that the prickle bushes would be ferocious. But didn't really seem to notice them much on that side.

Some more feedback. We were there a couple of weeks ago with Tracey and Cam and others.

I thought "So you think I'm gay" harder than 14, maybe the small fiddly gear in flaring cracks at the start got to me. "Scramble up to rappel chain" is a scramble down from the DBB, and a tricky little reverse move above a bad landing. Why not just miss the summit boulder and wander over to belay at the rap chain?

Passion, Boots and Bruises 18. Failed! We were doing 20's at Buffalo last month but couldn't lead up this.

Buxton Burglar 17. Obviously having a bad day. Couldn't find the FH (missing?) and didn't fancy starting the layback with the last gear down at the tree.

The Spirit Molecule was nice but struggled to stay out of Temperance. It seemed more natural to clip the bolt then reach left and use the edge than to ooze up the slab between the 2 bolts.

So You Think I’m Gay – what can I say? It was cold, getting late and made more sense to traverse left to the escape slab than keep peering up into the corner looking for pro. Agree with the comments above.

1. Territorial Pissings - to wake up from a winter dream - nice climbing with some awkward moves for the grade. Takes quite a few of extendable quickdraws due to the line shape and abundant vegetation.

2. False teeth - great climbing and yes, the fourth BR was a nice surprise :)

3. Spirit Molecule was okay but felt a tad easier than the False teeth.

Overall - a very nice crag worth spending time at. Definitely look forward to come back and do the rest.